Why most people is afraid of death?
- Thread starter Saint
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Death means the end of life and life is something many folks actually enjoy. Even if humans have spirit, those spirits can't enjoy anything because they no longer have any physical attributes, no eyes to see, no ears to hear, nothing. So, whats the point here?
The process of death could be the worst experience of a persons life.!!!
This atheist ant afrad of bein dead... an woud perfer it to an unknown after-life conscious existence.!!!
Are you afrad of death... an why... or why not.???
I'm not afraid of death. I'm a bit worried about dying, especially if it were to happen suddenly and unexpectedly. That's why I take some steps to try to minimise risks to my life (albeit balanced appropriately against the rewards of participating in risky activities).
I'm certainly not worried about what happens after my death - at least, I'm not worried about what happens to me after my death. That's because I don't think there will be much of a "me" left after my death. The aspect of me that matters most will be gone. Almost certainly, there won't be a "me" that will feel pain or sadness or despair or any other emotion.
Why would that make somebody afraid of death? What has understanding why you came into the world got to do with your death?
Actually, I think it's a massive collection of incredibly lucky events that led to your birth.
Just think about it. There's a direct and unbroken line of ancestors that leads from you, here now, right back to some primitive organism that existed 3.9 billion years ago. What are the chances of that?
You - all of you - are incredibly, unbelievably lucky to be here to read my scintillating prose on your computer screen.
Your parents both survived long enough to conceive and birth you. Their parents survived long enough to do the same favour for your parents. And back and back we go. Your direct ancestors at one stage or another must have survived through wars, famine, natural disasters of various sorts, plagues, the rise and fall of civilisations - you name it - while hundreds or thousands of their contemporaries died.
Your more distant ancestors survived ice ages and predators. Your African ancestors survived their hard lives on the savannas or in the jungles.
Even more ancient ancestors survived while the dinosaurs were wiped out by the meteor. They didn't look much like you, but without them you couldn't be here. Before them, your ancestors crawled out of the oceans to survive on the land. Before them, your ancestors managed to eke out a sufficient existence to survive in tidal pools or on the shores of ancient islands or continents.
Your direct-line family history is one of success after success after success, at least insofar as every generation produced offspring who, themselves, lived to reproduce. You are unbelievably fortunate to be alive here and now.
What is the ultimate purpose of your existence? Ask yourself. What give purpose to your life? If you can find no reason to be alive, then maybe your life has no purpose. Otherwise, you at least have the purpose you create for yourself. Is that "ultimate"? Who knows. What does "ultimate" even mean when you talk about the purpose of your life?
Afraid of death?? Nup.I treasure my life...I'm reasonably careful and avoid stepping out in front of a bus or lorry, I look after myself, and have regular six monthly checkups, enjoy myself to the fullest, eating out, enjoying a nice ale, and still being capable of putting the hard word on the Mrs when I'm horny and succeeding
My only wish is that my forthcoming demise is relatively peaceful and painless...It's inevitable its going to happen one day but so far at the pleasantly ripe old age of 75, I still as fit as a mallee bull and have not had a stay in hospital since I was 18 for a removal of a torn medial meniscus.
By the same token, recognising my good fortune in life, my Mrs and I do and have helped those less fortunate then ourselves, mainly in the sponsoring of two children from Africa, and contributions to various charities.
A couple of years ago, one of our old school mates, Bob E mailed us and gave us some bad news that he had bone cancer and only had 2 months to live: He was dead in 7 weeks. In the meantime we all decided at the request of Bob that we get together for a few drinks and a meal. Bob had previously given up drinking 10 years earlier with liver problems, and this was an excuse to again taste some VB ale. He had also undergoing chemo so had lost his hair, and relished one of a school mates bring in a tatty old red wig [he was a red head] which he wore with jovial pride during our 6 hour get together where we all got sloshed.
His inevitable wake after his funeral was another memorable get together, celebrating the life of a school mate who took his diagnosis of death with total good spirits. He was 72 at the time.
I might be afraid of dying, but not death. In fact I find it a relief to know that this bundle of nerves will come to an end.
When I read the chat or comments sections on utube when Trump holds his rallies, I often see the comments, "Trump is God or Trump is Jesus". You have to wonder if those Christians believe Trump is the one who is going to bring the Armageddon those Christians have been so patiently waiting for all this time.
In some cases, perhaps (example at bottom). But that's arguably due to many if not most people (including a percentage of those who don't believe in life after death) being naive realists. They mistakenly treat mental properties as existential properties.
Like "stuff" still materializing as representational outer appearances and sensations after death, along with identifications and conceptual understandings of objects and events still occurring. Even if they do imagine nothingness (loss of manifestation), they still project apprehension upon that emptiness, including the meaning slash significance that they have died. Their confused conflation of either an impersonal presentation of the world or an "absence of everything" with cognition could result in something scary to them, as in wallowing in that kind of boredom forever.
William Reville: Even people who accept that the mind ends at death have a real struggle to think that way. In one study students were asked about the psychological faculties of Richard who died instantly in a car crash. The students were read a description of Richard's state of mind just before the accident and then questioned about whether dead Richard retained the capacity to experience mental states, eg "Is Richard still thinking about his wife?", "Can he still taste the mint he ate just before he died?", and so on. Most of the answers indicated that Richard continued to think despite his death, and, most interestingly, many students who had previously indicated that they did not believe in an afterlife also gave answers indicating that emotions and desires survive death.
One might think that notions about consciousness surviving death spring, one way or another, from religion - even people who are not religious cannot avoid being exposed to religious ideas of an afterlife. But Jesse Bering believes that the notion that consciousness can survive bodily death is innate. This hypothesis is testable... https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/does-the-life-of-the-mind-survive-the-body-s-demise-1.922439
One might think that notions about consciousness surviving death spring, one way or another, from religion - even people who are not religious cannot avoid being exposed to religious ideas of an afterlife. But Jesse Bering believes that the notion that consciousness can survive bodily death is innate. This hypothesis is testable... https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/does-the-life-of-the-mind-survive-the-body-s-demise-1.922439
And therefore they decide to believe in God to make them feel less scared.
Might not be the best basis for a religion.
Spirit is a contrived concept which is used in a religious manner as a means to explain what goes to heaven
Also used by various other cons under different names
Difference between a live body and a dead body?
Dead bodies are not alive ie no life PROCESSES are happening ie the body has stopped working
That's it
Hey Mick! Just a question to get rid of a doubt or two....A person on life support....is kept artificially alive? true or false. And when relos are asked for permission to turn off life support, essentially that means that this person has no hope of recovery?Dead bodies are not alive ie no life PROCESSES are happening ie the body has stopped working
That's it
Thanks in advance.
....life support....is kept artificially alive? true or false
True
If you are thinking of someone hooked up to numerous machines with lots of tubes putting fluids in and taking fluids out and a list of medications like a phone book
it is more than that
Those diabetes who require insulin are on life support and I am sure you can think of numerous other examples
And when relos are asked for permission to turn off life support, essentially that means that this personhas no hope of recovery?
True
But before relos are asked there is a long long process care givers are required to go through
no hope of recovery?
I would contend a primary reason for such a diagnosis would be brain death
You do occasionally read of people who are given no hope, but do recover
I have personally looked after a patient who was alive with the minimal of brain function. The PROCESS of the body continued but everything else provided by hospital staff
Hope that helps answer your question
Why are you afraid of non-existence? It's not like you will know you don't exist...
Did it occur to you that Christianity might be wrong about that?
Saint
Valued Senior Member
because u has no purpose.
But God gives us eternal purposes to live forever.